Pumping apparatus



May 23, 1933. G. L. FERGUSON PUMPING APPARATUS Filed May 15; 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet '1,

Z5 Z2 2 27 43 2a A 2-9 /4 /7 46 z/ 14.5 a4 1 32 I 39 u J5 E a I 7 9 /0 1 O A ;36 Q 0 I 6 5 Fla 1 INVENTOR.

GALE L. FERGUSON BY 3 ML.

y 3. 1933- G. L. FERGUSON I 1,910,531

PUMPING APPARATUS Filed llay 15. 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 K50 j. 2a

INVENTbR. GALE L. FERGUSON Patented May 23, 1933 UNITED STATES e'aztn L. rnaeusou, or CLEVELAND,- 01:10,

PATENT OFFICE ASSIGNOB, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO

. WESTCO PUMP CORPORATION, 01 DAVENPORT, IOWA, CORPORATION OI DELA- WARE PUMPING APPARATUS Application filed Kay 15, 1930. Serial No. 452,779.

' 1 This invention, relating, as indicated, pumping apparatus, is more particularly d 1- rected to that type of pump inwhlch 1t 1s desirable to have a priming means accessible in order that the pump will operate efliciently under all conditions.

It is one object of the invention to provide a circuit consisting of a primin chamber, a rotary or centrifugal pump, an a separating chamber with a passage connectmg the last named chamber with the priming chamber.

A further object of the inventionis to provide the above named circuit with a separator in'which a mixture of liquid and gas can be separated into its component parts by means of the action of gravity on the liquid. A still further object of the invention is to provide a rotary pump with efficient priming means and a separator and a valve-controlled passage from the separator to the priming means in order that the fluid may be. kept where most necessary.

In securing the above objects I have aimed g 'to provide in such a machine a construction which will be simple, expeditious in operation and which will perform all its several functions automatically and continuously on any quantity of fluid which is desired to be removed by pumping.

The annexed drawmgs and the following descriptionset forth in detail certain mechanism embed in the invention, such disclosed means constitutmg, however but one of various mechanical forms in WhlCh the principle of the invention may be used. In said annexed drawings y Fig. 1 is a vertical transverse section through the pump, priming chamber, separating chamber and valve, with arts in elevation; Fig. 2 is a vertical section view of 'the'valve; Fig. 3 is a detail view. of the valve 7 screen; Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of 5' the valve-actuator; and Fig. 5 is a side elevation of. the valve-actuator with a part broken away.

The pump proper, shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, is similar in construction to that described and illustrated in my copending.

application filed May 31, 1931, Serial IfTo.

458,457, for Pumping apparatus, and consists of a rotatably supported" impeller 5 which revolves between two allochiral rin s 11. These rings are of such size as to lit snugly within the bore 10 of the pump housing 2, and have a circular groove 12 of slightly larger diameter than that of the impeller 5. The impeller 5 revolves in a clockwise direction as-viewed in the drawings, and has on its periphery a series of indentations or buckets 6 which carry the fluid from the inlet 7 to the outlet 8, the diversion of the fluid into the outlet 8 being accomplished by means" of a stop 9. The pump housing 2 is supported on a base or pedestal 1, and has a removable face plate 3 secured thereby bymeans of head bolts 4, or other similar means.

Secured to the flange 33 of the inlet port 7, a priming chamber 38 is shown which has a similar flange 34 held to the flange 33 by 'means of headed bolts 35, or in any other of the priming chamber 38 is shown at 40 and is spaced a slight distance away from thelower end 41 of the inner pipe. The fluid is admitted to the priming chamber 38 by means of the inlet '39 which is screw-threaded for the reception of a pipe which ordinarily would be connected to the inlet line. One result of having the inlet port39 higher than the passage 7 is to keep the primin chamber 38 almost full of water in spite 0 any back drainage through inlet 39.

At the uppermost portion of. the priming chamber a valve mechanism is shown, whic has as its function the control of the flow of the priming fluid from the separating chamber to the priming chamber. This valve consists of a stem 50 having a tapered point .42 which engages a seat 32 and is held theregular-shaped body portion in order to provide a seat for the upper extremity'of valve spring 31 and also to ofler the least resistance to movement. This body portion has its upper central surface recessed .as shown at 52, thus providing a miniature catch-basin in which the priming liquid collects, the weight ed adjacent the surface 53 Of the actuator,

such lower portion being recessed as illustrated at 57, Fig. 3, in order that any priming liquid. entering the screen will collect in the basin 52. The upper portion, or top 55, otthe screen cylinder is similar to the lower portion with the exception that a boss 56 is placed thereupon, which maintains the u per valve spring 28 in alignment. The cyllnder is of such proportions that the lower portion 54 seats upon the valve container 45, which insures the passage of the water through the screen 29 in order to reach the priming chamber. A spring 28 is illustrated above the valve, which is so placed for the purpose of holding the valve cover 29 down, such spring being received in the opening66 in the plug 27. lln order to gain access to the valve and replace parts or make repairs ll have provided a plug 27 which is received in a screw threaded opening in the casing of the priming chamber 38. A. spring 28 is used as a hold-down tor the screen 29' instead of a solid element, or in place of having the stem. of the nut 27 go down and engage the top of the screen 29 because such construction makes a convenient method. of assembly and permits the nut 27 to be screwed home tight, without the necessity of very accurate fitting of parts, and without any danger of crushing or bending the end portion 55, as might happen if a solid member were used in place of the spring.

Above the discharge port 8 of the pump a separating chamber 18 is shown supported on the flange 13 of the pump, and secured thereto by means of the bolts 14 and 17 which engage the flange 15 of the separating chamher and thus align the inlet 16 of the separating chamber with the outlet 8 of the pump. The separating chamber 18 is approximately spherical in form and has a smooth interior surface 44. The uppermost portion is slightlyflattened and has a discharge port 19, which is screw-threadediior the reception of a pipe, and has a screw-threaded plug 20 which prov-"ides access to the interior of the separator without removing the pipe from the discharge port 19, which ordinarily is firmly connected thereto. The lowermost interior portion of the separator is likewise in the manner of a fountain.

slightly flattened and has a trough 43 therein to receive any priming liquid and to divert it into a pipe 23 which connects with the valve 45. The pipe 23 is received in a screwthreaded opening 46 in the projection 21 of the separator, and is held in place by means of a lock nut 22. At its opposite end the pipe 23 is received in a screw-threaded opening in a flanged member, the flange 24 of which is held to the flange 25 of the priming chamber casing by means of bolts 26.

' In order to illustrate the operation of my improved pumping apparatus it will assumed that the space 37 of the priming chamber is partly filled with water. Under this condition when the pump draws the water down to the bottom 41 of pipe 36 this pipe instantly fills with air. At the same time water continues to flow through the.

priming valve and rises in both the spaces 37 and 36, the air in 36 passing over to the pump as the water rises. As the water, rises near the top of 36 the pump exerts suction enough to draw water over, and air and water are then expelled into thechamber 18 much The water which, of course, is heavier; rises a short distance and then falls to the bottom of the separating chamber, or perhaps is sprayed against the interior surface 44. In either event the water collects in a trough 43 and passes through the pipe 23 and from there through the valve into the priming chamber, where the operation is repeated. After the pump is thoroughly primed and liquid is being forced over the valve 30 will descend, due to the velocity of the liquid and the arrangement of the opening 57 and the recess or basin on the valve. Of course it will be understood that a substantial head of water is necessary to close the valve, this being brought about by the construction of the body portion 36 which, as stated before, is triangular and permits a certain amount of water to pass down and through the valve opening 32. In this manner the pump is primed and reprimed until the separating chamber is partially filled with liquid, when the necessity for priming ceases, and the valve closes.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that Ihave provided a pumping apparatus in which a priming fluid is constantly accessible, and one in which the priming fluid is not lost but conversely is separated from the mixture of gas and liquid. It will be further apparent that l have provided a novel valve means which permits sufic-ient liquid for priming purposes to pass to the inlet of the pump, but when the pum is functioning as it normally should, this valve closes, and in efiect prevents needless handling of the priming fluid.

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employed instead of the one explained, change being made as regards means stated by any of the ployed.

the structure herein disclosed, provided the following claims or the equivalent of such stated means be em portion adjacent said outlet, a valve seat, and

' scribe an opening. apparatus of the character dean inlet and an a spring engaging said enlarged portion, there being a depression in said enlarged portion, said depression being aligned with said screen outlet.

2. In adetachable priming apparatus, a chamber having an inlet and an outlet, a screen mounted in said chamber, 'said screen aving an outlet, a valve reciprocably mounted in said chamber, and having an enlarged triangular portion, adjacent said outlet, a valve seat," and a spring engaging said en'- larged portion.

3. In an apparatus (if the character described, a chamber having an inlet and an outlet, a casing mounted in said' chamber having a seat in one end, a valve mounted in said casing, a spring urging said valve away rom said seat, and means engagingsaid valve to limit movement end ing an opening therein.

In an apparatus of the character dea chamber having an inlet and an outlet, a casing mounted in said chamber having a seat in one end, a valve mounted in i said casing having an enlarged triangular portion,

larged portion and urging said valve away om said seat, and a cylinder seated on the other end of said casing to limit movement of said valve.

' 5. In an scribed, a chamber having an inlet and an outlet, a casing mounted in said chamber havwalls of said cylinder permitting the pasage of fluid, and'one end of said cylinder having In an scribed, a chamber having outlet, a casing mounted in said chamber having a seat inone end, a valve mounted in said casing having an enlarged triangularportion, resilient means engaging sai enlargedvportion and ur g said valve away from said seat, a cylintfie i seatedpn the other end of said casing to limit movement of said -pression in said enlarged inlet and an outlet, a

thereof, said means co'mprising a cylinder with foraminous walls, one

ing imperfor'ate and the other end hav-- esilient means engaging sai enpparatus of the character dethe other end ofsaid casing to limit movement of said valve, the

valve, the walls of said cylinder permitting the passage of fluid, and one end of said c linder having an opening, there being a evalve in alignment with said opening.

Signed by me this 24th da of A ril, 1930. v GALE L. hERG SON.

portion of said 7 

